The overrepresentation of minority children, particular Black children, in child welfare has been an ongoing and persistent issue for the child welfare system. Data has consistently revealed to us that our foster care system, although well-intentioned, has created harm to many of the families we sought to help, and the harm inflicted on families of color is being uncovered more and more each day. This training will begin with a discussion of how history and policy has shared our system. By creating an awareness of the infrastructure of our system, this training will illuminate the implications of not pursuing meaningful reform. We’ll examine power and privilege and how we can share that power with families, thereby empowering their protective factors. Participants will be challenged to consider their own mindset and learn practical ways to create accountability within our organizations. There are social justice champions working tirelessly in child welfare to build anti-racist systems which strengthen our most vulnerable families, and we will explore these strategies. We’ll also explore community-level strategies that are driving change around the country. We will conclude the training by discussing what it means for our entire system to evolve into one which develops courageous professionals who positively impact children and their families.
In this two-part course you will be able to:
- Recognize how history has shaped our current child welfare practice/procedures
- Demonstrate the ability to distinguish between evolutionary and revolutionary change
- Identify strategies that enhance family engagement through power sharing.
- Understand the systemic benefits of prioritizing protective factors.
- Identify strategies for accountability and connection within agencies
- Understand how individual mindsets impact policies and practices.